


Lullaby

by Adsdragonlover



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Asexual Nines, But he is, Detroit Evolution, Established Relationship, Gunshot Wounds, Lullabies, M/M, Nightmares, Octopunk Media, Rated M for Gavin’s potty mouth, Singing, Songfic, Sort Of, Swearing, de - Freeform, its not relevant to the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23739310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adsdragonlover/pseuds/Adsdragonlover
Summary: Nines wants to learn how to sing so he can sing Gavin back to sleep after he has nightmares.Inspired by Maximilian’s answer to my question on whether or not Nines can/would sing from the DE cast Q&A.Takes place after the movie Detroit Evolution by Octopunk Media starting Maximilian Koger and Chris Trindade. You don’t need to watch that to understand this but I highly recommend it.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 31
Kudos: 196





	Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! At one point in this fic Nines sings Chasing Cars. Maximilian has actually recorded a cover of that! Here’s a link to the YouTube video so you can listen to it while you read that part. https://youtu.be/fqQyllYL1mE

They’ve been dating for two weeks when Gavin has a nightmare while Nines is there. 

He hears him first and rushes into the room. “Gavin.” He says, putting a hand on his chest and ignoring how similar this feels to last time. “Gavin, Gavin it’s okay.” He says, cupping his jaw in his free hand as Gavin gasps for air. “Gavin, it’s alright. It’s not real. You’re okay. Just breathe for me.” 

Gavin takes one look at him and lets out a dry sob, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. “You- you’re here.”

“Yes, Gavin. I’m not going anywhere, remember? I’m here. I promise.” Gavin shudders in his hold as Nines climbs onto the bed next to him, holding him close and running fingers through his curly hair, murmuring soothing words at him softly. 

When his shoulders stop shaking and his breathing evens out Nines decides to broach the subject. “Do you want to talk about it? Was it the same as last time?” He asks. 

Gavin shakes his head. “No. It- it was different. But it’s not new.” He says. 

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Gavin.” Nines reassures, still running fingers through his hair. “It’s alright. I’m here.”

“But you weren’t.” Gavin says quietly. “You weren’t there. I didn’t get to you fast enough. You didn’t-“ he cuts off and clutches tighter to Nines. “You didn’t wake up. They- they had to reset you. You were awake but you weren’t- you didn’t know me. You didn’t know anyone. You weren’t even deviant. They woke you up and you were just- you were just a machine.” He closes his eyes and Nines reaches up to wipe a tear off of his cheek. 

“Well I’m here now. It was just a dream, Gavin.” He comforts. 

“Will you stay with me tonight?” He asks quietly. “I- I don’t want to be alone.”

“Of course.” Nines murmurs. “Always, Gavin.” He presses a kiss into his hair and Gavin gives him a shaky smile. 

“Thank you.” He says, lying down. “Will you talk to me?” He asks quietly. “I like your voice. Just- talk me to sleep?”

Nines nods, laying down next to Gavin and wrapping his arms around him. “What do you want me to talk about?”

“Anything. I just need to know you’re here.” Gavin says quietly. 

“Okay.” He says before starting to quietly murmur to Gavin about the book he’d been reading. He keeps talking to him until Gavin falls back asleep. 

  
  
  


That night causes two things. One, Nines moves in with Gavin, staying with him every night now. And two, he decides he wants to learn to sing. So he can sing Gavin to sleep. He sets a new mission for himself. **Mission Objective: Sing Gavin to Sleep After a Nightmare**

* * *

Singing, as it turns out, is _not_ easy. He’s not programmed for it. He was made for war, for destruction, programmed to hunt deviants. 

But, he figures, he wasn’t programmed to love either, but he does that anyway. So singing can’t be that hard. 

Having that thought in mind is probably what makes it so upsetting when he’s wrong. He’s not tone deaf, but he’s definitely not good at it. His voice cracks awkwardly and he can’t really hold a tune. 

Of course, he could always open his mouth and play songs to Gavin to calm him. But when he tries that Gavin protests it. “Nines, I- thanks, but it’s _your_ voice that I like. I don’t need whoever that was. I want _you._ ” 

Gavin asks if he’ll sing to him and Nines politely says no. He’s not ready. He will sing to Gavin when it doesn’t hurt to listen to. 

* * *

  
  


Which is why he’s here, at a studio, paying for voice lessons. 

The lady who’s coaching him is human. Her name is Karli and she’s surprised as to why an android is taking voice lessons. “Can’t you just download a module to get the information?” She asks. 

Nines politely explains that he wants to do it the human way, and with his own voice. The modules are designed for domestic models and are programmed with their voices. It wouldn’t sound like him. 

Karli smiles at him and agrees to teach him. 

It’s not easy. And it’s time consuming.

They go over the basics first. Scales, notes and vocal warm-ups. Most of the vocal warm ups are tongue twisters as well. They’re usually quite childish, but effective. 

“Mommy made me mash my m&mmmmmmms.” 

“Who washed Washington’s white woolen underwear when Washington’s washerwoman, went west?”

There are a _lot_ of vocal warm ups. 

  
  


And he’s getting better.

* * *

He’s two weeks into vocal lessons when Gavin finally asks where he’s been going. Honestly, Nines is surprised he held out on asking for so long. 

“I’ve been taking voice lessons.” He says. 

Gavin blinks at him. “Voice lessons? But your voice sounds normal.”

Nines fights back a sigh. He does however, roll his eyes. “You’re a dumbass.” He says and interrupts Gavin when he opens his mouth to protest. “Singing lessons, Gavin. That kind of voice lesson.”

“Why?” Gavin asks. “I mean do whatever makes you happy of course.” He says, quickly backtracking. “But I always figured you’d pick like, violin or something.”

Nines tilts his head thoughtfully. “No, but that is an interesting idea.” 

Gavin chuckles. “What can I say? I have great ideas.”

Nines shoots him a _Look_. “Gavin, two days ago you tried to pour coffee in your cereal instead of milk.”

Gavin crosses his arms. “Hey fuck you, that was an awesome idea. It would’ve totally woken me up.”

“Perhaps, but it would’ve tasted awful. You’re lucky I was there to tell you no.”

Gavin flips him off. “God, I hate you.”

“I love you too, Gavin.” Nines says, walking closer and pressing a kiss to his forehead. 

“Seriously though.” Gavin says. “What made you want to take voice lessons?”

Nines pauses. “I want to be able to sing you to sleep when you’re upset after having a nightmare.”

Gavin blinks at him then blushes darkly, hiding his face in his hands. “Jesus _Christ,_ Nines. Do you have any idea how sappy that is?” 

Nines pretends to think about it. “Hm. Not sure. Maybe you should tell me.”

Gavin runs his hands down his face, laughing. “You’re a dick.”

“Takes one-“

“-to know one, I know.”

Nines smirks. “It’s cute. We finish each other’s sentences now.”

Gavin glares half-heartedly at him. “That’s only because you’re predictable.” 

Nines puts a hand over his thirium pump. “You wound me, Gavin.”

Gavin grins. “You’ll survive. But maybe I could kiss it better?” 

And who is Nines to turn down an offer like that?

  
  
  


The conversation is soon forgotten after that, and it doesn’t come up again until much later. 

* * *

  
  


Nines has been taking voice lessons from Karli for a little over two months now. And he’s improved a lot. Karli says he’s “the only student I’ve ever had who improved so much so quickly. Though I’m sure the fact that you’re an android helps.” 

Nines likes Karli a lot. She’s sweet and an incredible teacher. She’s very patient and helps him work out the correct way to get the notes out. She’s used to teaching humans, but she looked up android anatomy so she could understand how their voices work and teach him the proper techniques with regards to android anatomy. Nines really appreciated it. 

He’s confident in his abilities now and just waits for the right opportunity to sing to Gavin to arise. 

It comes in a way he does not anticipate. 

* * *

They should have called for backup before they went in. 

It was a trap. The tip they’d received was a setup. As soon as they opened the door the shot rang out. 

It hit Gavin. Gavin got _shot_ . And Nines is _not_ okay with that. 

It’s all too easy to incapacitate the shooter. He’s on the catwalk and Nines just has to aim and shoot. He shoots him in the leg, aiming to wound and incapacitate, not to kill. Never to kill. _I didn’t want to be a hunter, or a killer. I wanted to protect people. Protect you._ So once the shooter is out for the count, having hit his head on the fall when his legs crumpled and knocked himself out, Nines immediately drops down next to Gavin. 

His LED circles yellow for a moment as he calls for backup and an ambulance. Then it goes back to red as he puts pressure on the wound. He was shot in the shoulder and it’s bleeding a _lot._ He can see torn muscle in the open wound. It’s not pretty. So he presses hard against his shoulder with one hand and starts tearing up his shirt with the other. 

Gavin hisses in pain at the pressure. “It hurts.”

“I know, Gavin. I know it hurts but you have to hold on for me, okay?” He says, doing his best to keep his voice level and even as Gavin’s blood stains his fingers red. “Can you do that for me, love?” He asks, noticing Gavin’s pulse rate spike and his breathing begin to grow shallow and quick. He’s panicking. And the faster his heart beats the quicker he’ll bleed out. “Gavin, Gavin you need to calm down. It’s okay, I promise. I’m going to get you out of here.”

“Can-“ Gavin starts, taking deep breaths to try to calm himself. “Can you sing to me, Nines?” He asks, as tears start to fall from the pain. “Fuck, Nines, it hurts.” 

Nines nods. “I know, Gavin. It’ll be okay. I’ll sing to you, of course I will.” He scrambles for something to sing and settles on one of the first songs he’d learned, a song he’d picked because it made him think of Gavin. 

“ _There once was a bittersweet man, and they called him Lemon Boy. He was growing in my garden and I pulled him out by his hair, like a weed. And like weeds do he only came and grew back again, so I figured this time I might as well let him be, be~.”_ He sings, relieved when Gavin's heart rate starts to calm down and his breathing begins to slow. Gavin smiles weakly at him and he keeps singing. “ _Lemon boy and me, started to get along together. I helped him plant his seeds and we’d mow the lawn, in bad weather. It’s actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter boy like him.”_ He sings, smiling at Gavin and doing his best not to let his fear show through his voice. “ _So I got myself, a citrus friend._ ”

“Is that about me?” Gavin asks and Nines nods. 

“It can be.” He responds. 

“Keep going, _please_.” 

“ _But soon his bittersweet started to rub off on me. You’d think smelling like lemon zest would be, pretty neat. I found out that my friends were more of the savory type. And they weren’t too keen on compromising with a nice, lemon pie._ ” He sings. “ _So Lemon Boy and me, we just gotta get along together. I helped him plant his seeds and we’d mow the lawn in bad weather. It’s actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter boy like him. So I got myself a citrus friend.”_ He reaches down and wipes away some of Gavin’s tears before he continues to a part that always tears him up. 

“ _But what if I run out of fertilizer? What if the clouds run out of rain? What if Lemon Boy won’t grow no longer?”_ He sings, voice cracking with emotion. “ _What if beaches dry of sugarcane? Ohh, well. The whales start to beach themselves. Tortoiseshells fall away from their spines. It happens all the time~, it happens all the time.”_ He wipes away some of his own tears as he starts to cry. “ _Ohh, oh oh oh.”_ He can heat the sirens now. They’re close. He stops singing.

“No, Nines, keep going.” Gavin pleads. And Nines can’t say no to that.

He takes a shaky breath that he doesn’t even need and continues. _“Lemon Boy and I, we’re gonna live forever. Like Snufkin and little my, we’ll get around wherever. Lemon Boy and I, we’re gonna live forever. Like Snufkin and little my, we’ll get around wherever. It’s actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter boy like him. Cause we’re the bitterest boys in town, yeah we’re the bitterest guys around. And now I got myself, a citrus friend.”_ He finishes, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Gavin’s forehead. “I love you. Okay? They’re almost here, just hold on for me.”

“I will.” Gavin promises. “I’m not going anywhere, Tin Can.” 

The ambulance arrives shortly after and the EMT’s take Gavin, wheeling him through the snow on a gurney and into the ambulance. Nines follows after them, sitting next to Gavin and holding his hand while the paramedics do their job.   
  


* * *

They take Gavin away in the hospital and Nines has to wait, covered in Gavin’s blood and doing his best not to break down. 

After a while a doctor comes out asking for him. He tells Nines that Gavin is expected to make a full recovery and will be allowed visitors in the morning. 

Nines doesn’t want to, but he heads home to feed the cat before coming straight back and waiting for the morning to come. 

* * *

Eventually they let him see Gavin. 

Gavin doesn’t look very good. He’s pale and hooked up to an IV, but he’s alive and that’s all that really matters to Nines. 

“Hey Tin Can.” Gavin says when he walks in. 

Nines smiles at him and walks over to the bed, sitting down in the chair next to the bed. “Hello, Gavin.” He says, pressing a kiss to Gavin’s knuckles. “I’m sorry.” He says. “I should’ve gone in first.” 

“It’s not your fault.” Gavin says and when he sees Nines’ forlorn expression he scowls. “Hey, dumbass. Look at me.” Nines does and Gavin smiles softly at him. “It’s okay. We were both stupid. We should’ve gotten back up and checked up on the tip first. It’s not your fault. Okay?” 

Nines nods. “Okay.”

“Good. Now come here and kiss me.” Gavin says and Nines does.

“Do you know when I can go home?” Gavin asks and Nines rolls his eyes.

“You got shot, Gavin. Stay in the hospital.”

“No. First of all the longer I stay here the more expensive it’ll be. Secondly, I hate hospitals, and finally I know you’ll dote on me more than the nurses. So I’ll ask again, when can I leave?”

Nines sighs. “Tomorrow.” 

Gavin pumps his fist with his good arm. “Fuck yeah.”

Nines rolls his eyes. “You’re a dork.”

“Takes one to know one.” Gavin teases. And Nines kisses him again. 

* * *

They let Gavin go home the next day. 

* * *

Two days later Gavin has another nightmare. 

Nines is pulled from stasis by Gavin’s thrashing and sounds of distress. He quickly turns to Gavin. “Gavin. Gavin, wake up, it’s okay. You’re safe, it’s okay.”

Gavin wakes up, eyes wide. “It’s okay, Gavin. I’m here. You’re at home. You’re safe, don’t worry.”

Gavin sags in relief. “I bled out again.” He says. “But it wasn’t like the normal dream. I was still alone, and I was still in the snow. But it was from 3 days ago. And you- you weren’t there. I was alone. I could hear you. You were looking for me but you couldn’t find me. And I died before you got to me.” He whispers. 

Nines wraps his arms around Gavin and presses a kiss to his forehead. “Well I’m here now. You’re not alone, Gavin I promise.”

“Will you sing to me?” Gavin asks.

“Of course.” He says. 

“ _We'll do it all, Everything. On our own. We don't need, Anything, Or anyone. If I lay here, If I just lay here._

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

_I don't quite know, How to say, how I feel. Those three words. Are said too much, they're not enough._

_If I lay here, If I just lay here. Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

_Forget what we're told. Before we get too old, Show me a garden that's bursting into life._

_Let's waste time, Chasing cars. Around our heads._ ” Gavin falls back asleep before he finishes the song. 

**Mission, Sing Gavin to Sleep After a Nightmare: Successful**

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave Kudos if you liked it and if you really want to make my day leave a comment. 
> 
> You guys have no idea how tempted I was to have Nines sing Little Fall of Rain when Gavin got shot. But it wouldn’t have made sense since Gavin is the one who was hurt. Also while I personally think Nines would absolutely watch Les Mis I’m not sure Gavin would get it. 
> 
> Also after Gavin’s shoulder heals he tells Nines about how he can play guitar and they play Northern Downpour by Panic! at the Disco together. Because Maximilian and Chris did that and that video is literally a blessing and makes me so happy. 
> 
> And if this is Maximilian reading this thank you so much and I really hope you liked it!


End file.
